Research completed by APD Crime Analyst Bryan Morberg shows a 40 % increase in theft from motor vehicles between the time period of January to October in 2013 compared to the same time period in 2012. With the two time periods combined, APD has received 4,232 reports of thefts from vehicles.

“While some areas of town show a significant increase, thefts from vehicles are up all over Anchorage,” said APD Crime Analyst Bryan Morberg.

According to the APD Theft Unit, many vehicle break-ins occur in one’s own driveway.

“Many of the thefts we are seeing right now appear target unlocked vehicles,” said Theft Detective Darren Hernandez. “Locking your car doors and removing your valuables can make all the difference.”

Prevention plays a big part in keeping your valuables safe and protected. That’s why APD is reminding the public to “Lock – Remove – Conceal, So Thieves Don’t Steal.”

By locking our vehicle doors, removing valuables and/or concealing items, we can help prevent vehicle break-ins. If you observe any suspicious activity, please call APD Dispatch at 907-786-8900 or in an emergency dial 911. If you discover you are a victim of a vehicle break-in, you can file a report online at www.muni.org/apd

APCAAA Helps APD Launch Holiday Shopping Safety Program

Another popular place for vehicle break-ins to occur: parking lots. With respect to the upcoming holiday season and the inevitable increase in holiday shoppers, several local malls including the Dimond Center, Sears Mall, and the Tikahtnu Commons are partnering with APD and the Anchorage Police Citizens Academy Alumni Association (APCAAA) to launch a new Parking Lot Watch program. The program is designed to deter and prevent vehicle break-ins from occurring. Several members of the Citizens Academy recently attended a training facilitated by APD Captain David Koch, where they received instruction on what to look for and how to respond to suspicious activity.

“The Citizens Academy volunteers and mall management are enthusiastic about being proactive in our efforts to prevent vehicle break-ins,” said Capt. Koch. “The Anchorage Police Department values our partners in public safety, and we are constantly exploring innovative ways to partner with our community to keep Anchorage safe.”

Similar to the Citizen DUI Detection Program, the Citizen Academy volunteers have received explicit instructions to call APD if they see any suspicious activity – essentially applying the neighborhood watch concept to our public parking lots. Patrolling in pairs, the volunteers will help monitor parking lots at various hours starting today. The patrols will be specifically targeting vehicle prowlers and on the look out for other criminal activity such as drug deals, DUIs and reckless drivers. With more citizens taking preventative steps and with the help of the Alumni volunteers, APD hopes to see a decrease in vehicle thefts in our community.